How embracing a Hygge lifestyle can help you feel your best through winter (and all year round!)
Have you heard of ‘Hygge’? The Danish word (also Norwegian) pronounced ‘Hyoo – guh’.
I’ll be honest, the word had been on my radar for a little while, but it wasn’t until I took my young kids to see Frozen at the West End in London, that I actually took notice of what it stood for. If you’ve seen the show yourself, you’ll know exactly which part I’m referring to, the ‘That’s Hygge’ number. Here the cast perform a hilarious song and dance, in and out of the sauna half ‘naked’ to add to the comedic theme. The lyrics of the song refer to things in life that either are or aren’t good for the soul. So according to the song, hygge means comfortable, cosy, sitting by the fire with your cheeks all rosy. Things that are ‘not hygge’ include being freezing cold, finding a spider in your shoe or having something annoying to do! If you look it up in the dictionary, the English definition of Hygge is cosy or comfortable. But that is really too simplistic, as hygge is more of a concept, an overall way of being, rather than just getting all cosy.
Adopting a hygge lifestyle
Hygge promotes slowing life down and being present in the moment. No matter what kind of lifestyle you lead, taking time out for yourself can only help with good mental and physical health. And it doesn’t have to be a big shift from your normal daily life, something hygge can literally be as small as sharing a warm pot of tea with a friend or snuggling down on the sofa to read your favourite book.
Hygge is therefore less of a word and more of a philosophy. In fact, hygge covers everything from what to do to what to wear!
How to hygge your home (and even your wardrobe!)
Particularly in the UK where winters are cold and skies are grey, we don’t always feel like going out. Our natural instinct can be to hibernate, just as some animals do. I mean it’s March now and while spring had sprung for a few days, it’s back to chilly temperatures again (and I’m writing at my desk with my electric blanket on!). Luckily there are so many quick and easy ways to bring hygge into your life, starting with your home.
The key steps to achieving a truly hygge house involve making a warm inviting space. One that you’ll look forward to coming home to. Think soft lighting, comfy blankets, natural colours, all combining together to create a cosy atmosphere. Candles, small reading lamps and strings of twinkly lights are less harsh than ‘the big light’ and don’t have to cost a fortune. Neither do fluffy blankets and soft cushion covers which can add to the perfect space to snuggle. Don’t feel the need to hygge your whole home either, easy places to start are the lounge or bedroom but even just creating a cosy corner in one room is perfect. Your go-to hygge spot to get comfy and relax. In true Danish style, decluttering your home is important, and will help to declutter your mind too. A tidy home is a tidy mind after all.
When it comes to a hygge dress code, it’s more about keeping things simple, a minimal wardrobe or neutral colours that you can mix and match easily. Having a more back-to-basics capsule wardrobe means less stress in the morning deciding what to wear. That’s hygge!
How to be more hygge
There are lots of ways that you can bring hygge into your life. It’s about finding what moments, big or small, make you happy and give you that warm, fuzzy feeling. For some people it could be having a chat with a friend, others - sitting in front of the log burner in your comfiest pyjamas. If food is the way to your soul, then make a bowl of your favourite soup or pasta (or whatever is your go-to comfort dish) to enjoy all to yourself or share with friends.
Detoxing from screens, your work laptop or your phone is something to consider when embracing hygge. It gives your eyes a break from scrolling, not to mention your mind and can give you back time to focus on other activities that bring you joy – drawing, painting, writing. It’s no surprise that mindfulness goes hand in hand with hygge. Being present and in the moment gives you space to think and help to clear your head. Practicing mindfulness or gratitude is widely believed to have multiple health benefits, from reducing stress and anxiety to improved emotional wellbeing.
Be more Danish
Denmark ranks in the top three in the World Happiness Report year after year, which is unsurprising giving the country’s beautiful scenery, excellent work-life balance, welfare system and strong economy. But there’s got to be something to be said for their overall outlook on life. Adopting a hygge lifestyle that focuses on bringing calm into your life is bound to lower stress and have a positive impact on your overall health and happiness. We know that high levels of stress have a part to play in many physical and mental health issues, so embracing a little hygge where you can can only be a good thing.
My key takeaway from looking into the concept of hygge are that if it feels good, it’s hygge. And why wouldn’t we want to add more feel-good moments into our lives?
I’m Christie Davis, a freelance copywriter who loves writing blogs and finding ways to add a bit of hygge into her daily life! Blog writing on your never-ending to-do list? Let me take those off your hands - christieforcopy@outlook.com.